Just Coffee
by Scott Summers
Summary: Domino and Cable have a nice little chat... and hey, there aren't even any supervillains to interrupt them. Who knew. Possible continuation, depending on feedback... rr, please! :D


_It's my first take on Domino -- I took a few liberties and this is sort of in and out of continuity. R/r, please:)_

* * *

_For Nick._

_**Just Coffee

* * *

**_

"Ms. Thomas?"

"…Ms. Thomas?"

The young girl fell to the floor, gripping her head and fighting back tears. She didn't like to show pain – even to herself.

"Ms. Thomas, _please_ – open the door!"

"I'm fine, Sister," she spoke softly, barely able to speak at all.

"Neena, open the door, for goodness sakes…"

"I'll be back in just a little bit," she said more audibly, pulling herself from the ground and stumbling to the sink.

Outside of the small, single toilet restroom Sister Bleake sighed – but turned at the sound of another student's voice. Neena Thomas could hear the nun mutter something about odds and the unlikelihood of whatever was pulling her from escorting Neena from the bathroom and back to class—and then she heard her leave.

Neena ran her hands under the faucet and splashed her face several times before looking into the mirror before her.

She wasn't ready for what she saw – having chosen to ignore the color of her hands as she washed them.

Frantically pulling her thick black hair back into its ponytail, she rubbed at her left eye—the contrast between her suddenly pale white skin and the black circle around her eye was too much.

Neena thought of what her foster parents would say… what they would do…

Where they might send her.

She winced at her reflection, not understanding what was happening to her – why her head hurt so much…

Neena slammed her fist into the mirror, shards of glass flying to the floor and through out the room.

Tears fell from her eyes and blood mixed with the running water in the sink.

* * *

Domino opened her eyes and turned, looking to the large red numbers emanating in the darkness on her small bedside table. She'd woken up exactly on time – though she noticed she'd forgotten to set the alarm.

She sighed, pushing herself up from her bed and looking into the mirror. Her room was quaint at best – though she could afford something nice if she so desired. She was rarely home – barely considering the fact that she even _had_ one.

The woman tied her hair back, brushed her teeth and entertained the idea of taking a shower – and in fifteen minutes walked out of her small, one-bedroom District X apartment in a long, pale brown trench coat and sunglasses.

* * *

"It isn't that bright, Dom," she heard a voice say inside of her head as she approached the small diner. "I'm in the back."

Domino removed the sunglasses – for _herself_, she thought, as she entered the building and moved toward the back of the restaurant. The man known as Nathan Summers stood to greet her.

A small grin flashed upon her face – and she remained focused enough to try to block the fact that she'd noticed the telepath before her staring at her bright red lips. The last thing she needed was for Summers to know that he had somewhat of an upper-hand.

She was so focused, however, that she'd overlooked the waitress on her left asking her for her drink order.

"She'll have a water," Nathan answered.

"Actually," she snapped back to, "I'll have a cup of coffee." Domino arched an eyebrow as she returned Cable's gaze, the waitress smiling and walking away.

"That stuff's bad for you, you know," he spoke. Domino watched his lips this time – her eyes darting across his face. They hadn't seen one another for months… Nathan had been spending a lot of time in tights recently.

She noticed the scars above and below his right eye, his thick, white eyebrows—and the loose strand of hair that had fallen over them.

"You need a haircut."

"Too busy saving the world, I suppose."

"Which isn't much better for you than this," she grinned as the waitress – Michelle – placed her cup of coffee before her.

"Fresh pot—you're pretty lucky."

Cable snickered. "That's all we'll be having… thank you, Michelle." Summers waited a moment, allowing the waitress to move farther away… he closed his eyes for a second and Domino knew he was creating a psi-shield for the two of them to speak more privately.

"Domino…"

The woman rolled her eyes, standing and removing her coat.

"Dom."

Domino sat back down, her dark eyes meeting Cable's. "Things have been… different lately…"

"Spending an awfully lot of time with Deadpool these days, from what I hear."

"That's a… complicated… situation," he replied. "But at least you're hearing things… I've been trying to reach you for –"

Domino slammed her coffee down, the black liquid splashing onto the table. "_Bullshit_, Nathan."

"What?"

"You're one of the most powerful telepaths on the planet… and you can't reach me?"

"Domino, in case you've forgotten – your own psi-shields are very strong… and throw in the fact that your probability-altering—"

"I'm kidding."

Cable glared at her—but it wasn't long before he was smiling.

"If I don't want to be found – by you or by anyone else – I won't be.

I've been busy."

"…busy."

"Busy."

"As if I have no idea what that's like."

"You could've broken through if you'd _really_ tried. On a really good day for you and a less-than-adequate one for me.

Maybe," Domino grinned.

Summers watched her lips.

"I'm not staring at your lips, Dom," he argued.

"Who said anything about you watching my lips?"

"Your eyes."

The two stared at one another for a moment.

"I hate you."

"Domino, I need you… there's a lot going on right now, and—"

"Jesus, Nate… you aren't running with the X-Men again, are you?"

"…no, Domino. I'm not. But these are difficult times, and…"

"If you're here to recruit me for some déjà vu road trip down X-Force lane, forget it. I have bills… and you've lost your edge. You don't even know who you are anymore."

"What?"

"Don't play stupid with me. You may not have needed those big guns – but there was a time when you used the hell out of them. That's the man I fel–"

Domino hesitated.

Summers watched her eyes.

"…listen, ridiculous or not—the guns meant something. You were a different person then."

"You won't even hear me out? After everything we've—"

Domino stood. "Been through? Nate, listen—"

"Domino, stop—"

"—_Cable_, stop telling me what to do. I was never one of those headstrong kids that followed you through hell and high water—and I never took bites of anyone else's 'dreams' or anything else, either. I have my own. When you remember what yours is, let me know. Until then, the psi-block's up and surely the _Askani'son_ can find a way to deal."

Grabbing her coat and turning, Domino began to walk away—focusing harder than ever to keep Nathan from sending her some sort of final word.

Once outside, she put her sunglasses on.

"_Why the hell are you so angry, Domino?" _she thought to herself, her hands in her pockets as she wove side to side through the crowd.

Domino sighed, stopping and falling against a nearby building.

"It could be worse," she said softly to herself. "I could still be wearing purple."


End file.
